Political advocacy in Tanzania

The councillors’ advocacy training aimed at introducing councillors to advocacy work as a way to assist them performing their tasks. Subsequent to the previous councillors’ training programmes last year, it was noticed that some work was not done as expected due to some challenges that were either related to the structures within local government or their position as opposition party councillors.

After the training programmes the councillors are expected to execute their responsibilities in line with their election promises, especially in assisting their communities to reach their planned development goals. This will be through advocating effectively in their areas. They should be able to plan their advocacy activities, participating, volunteering and solving the challenges facing them.

In the four days training programmes the councillors were trained and got a clear understanding of what advocacy is, and how it might support their work and provide practical assistance to actually undertake advocacy work. They were trained in different ways of influencing the decision makers on different levels, to create an environment which protects the rights and welfare of the people. This means understanding the role of advocacy in relation to other responses to development activity, such as information, education and communication, community mobilisation and service provision.

The advocacy manual used was developed by the FNF programme officer in Tanzania, Ms Veni Swai with the assistance of the CUF lead facilitator, Ms Thuwayba Mohammed. The two facilitators conducted a train-the-trainer workshop for 25 CUF facilitators, who were trained so that they in turn could train the councillors. The facilitators were impressed with the participants’ enthusiasm and professionalism, as well as with the detailed and creative solutions they presented to the questions posed in the exercises. This was also seen during the actual training programmes. The facilitators were able to relate very well the training to the situations in each training station. FNF believes the councillors’ advocacy training will bring some major changes to the councillors’ performance.

Veni Swai
Tanzania – East Africa.

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